ACMA authority to combat SMS and identity theft phone scams

The ACMA warns that phone scams have severe financial and social impacts on Australians and it will be enforcing new rules that require telcos to use stronger ID checks for transactions targeted by scammers, including SIM swap requests and will also be establishing and enforcing new rules to reduce SMS scams.

In a further warning, the ACMA cautions that in 2022–23 it will focus on combating misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms, noting that concerns have grown about the spread of harmful disinformation and misinformation online.

Another ACMA compliance priority that it has announced is online gambling, with the authority supporting Australians through the launch of a new national self-exclusion register in early 2022–23.

The register will cover licensed online and telephone betting services such as those offering betting on horse racing and sports and people will be able to exclude themselves from these services for anywhere between three months to permanently.